Not Just an Ordinary Girl
by Ziva- Zia- Z
Summary: Mermaids, magic, 1 raven-haired witch, & an accident... biggest problem isn't telling the prince she loves him, it's hiding the tail every time she gets her feet wet. A fun, quirky, romantic adventure w/little magic & whole lot of love. My 200th story!
1. Chapter 1

******No Ordinary Girl******

******Rifiuto: Non Miriena******

******Summary: _The world's my oyster, I'm the pearl..._ Mermaids, magic, one green-skinned, raven-haired witch, and an accident that puts the spotlight on Shiz's most unique student, and sends the whole campus into a tizzy. But the biggest problem isn't telling the prince that she loves him, it's hiding the tail that appears whenever she gets her feet wet. A fun, quirky, romantic adventure with a little magic and whole lot of love. My 200th story! This is for my reviewers! You've stuck by me for 199 stories; this one's for all of you, thank you so much! ******

"Mermaids were said to haunt the waters around Shiz for centuries. Back when it was a convent..."

She yawned, and struggled to keep her eyes open. Usually, she was interested in her Ozian Mythology class, but today, between tests and lack of sleep due to her roommate, she wasn't very interested. Just as she began to doze off, she felt something jam into her back, and she jumped, turning around.

"What is it, Glinda?" She growled, half-asleep.

"You were falling asleep, Elphie." The blonde replied. The raven-haired witch rolled her eyes and turned back to the front. She only half-listened as Professor Sita continued to talk about the mythical power of mermaids. Eventually, Glinda raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Upland?"

"Can anyone be turned into a mermaid?" Glinda asked. Elphaba rolled her eyes and yawned.

"No. The only way a person can be turned into a mermaid is by becoming the victim of a spell- like the mythical swan princess. However, accidents do happen, and every millenia or so, someone manages to turn themselves into a mermaid by use of a spell gone wrong."

"Hogwash." Elphaba muttered, leaning her head on her hand. Her eyes began to close, and just as she started to doze off, Professor Sita dismissed the class. She jumped, and gathered her things, throwing her messenger bag over her shoulder and gathering her books to her chest.

"Now remember class, your projects are due in six weeks! I want well researched papers and strong arguements! Oh, Elphaba," The green girl stopped and turned back to her professor. Glind and Fiyero waited in the doorway. "I believe you said that you were going to do your project on the mythical brownies of Munchkinland." The girl looked at her like she'd lost her mind, before yawning and shaking her head.

"Oh, right, um... I changed my mind."

"You did?" Professor Sita raised her eyebrows, and picked up a pen, turning to the role sheet. "Then what are you going to do your project on?" The green girl looked back at her friends, trying to think up a quick, good lie.

"Um... mermaids."

"Mermaids?" Elphaba nodded. "Yeah. I find the mythology behind them fascinating; I think I can make a strong arguement and presentation on the mythology alone, I wouldn't even need to go into the possiblity that they might exist nowadays."

"Oh, very well. I look forward to your presentation, Elphaba." The girl nodded, and then joined her friends, hurrying from the classroom.

"What was that?"

"What do you mean?" Elphaba asked, yawning. Glinda shifted her books to her other arm.

"You just lied through your teeth." Elphaba shrugged.

"So? I grew up hearing stories of brownies my entire life; I want to do my presentation on something new. I need coffee, you two coming?"

"I thought you had coffee this morning?" Glinda said, as the trio crossed the green. Elphaba sighed.

"I did, but one cup is not going to get me through the day. Besides, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be so exhausted."

"Me?" Glinda cried.

"Yes, you!"

"What did I do?"

"I'm actually curious to find out myself." Fiyero said, finally breaking his silence. Elphaba looked back at him and then veered to the left, towards the cafeteria.

"You were up all night watching movies and gabbing with your friends. If I hadn't needed to sleep, I wouldn't have been in the room at all! Now, are you coming?" The blonde didn't reply. "Fine. I'll see you both later. I need coffee."

Then, they watched as she disappeared into the cafeteria, making a beeline for the cafe. Fiyero chuckled.

"Elphie is definately a coffee drinker."

"Tell me about it." Glinda replied, hurrying to catch up with her friend. Once inside, they hurried over to their usual table; Elphaba sat in the corner, holding a steaming cup and leaning back against the window. The poor thing looked half-asleep; on closer inspection, Glinda and Fiyero realized that Elphaba _was_ asleep. Silently, Glinda and Fiyero slid into two of the seats at the table; they were soon joined by Milla, Avaric and Boq. The blonde put a finger to her lips, and the others nodded, each slipping off individually to get lunch. Fiyero returned with a sandwich for himself and a bowl of soup for Elphaba. He pushed the bowl towards the girl's sleeping form, and gently reached over, removing the cup from her hands and placing it on the table. Then, he shook her hand.

"Elphie. Elphie, wake up. Wake up." Slowly, her eyes cracked open, and she looked up into his eyes.

"Yero? Where am I?"

"In the cafeteria. Here. Eat your soup, you need something in your stomach." She glanced down at the bowl, then stretched and groaned as the muscles in her back spasmed briefly.

"Thank you." She whispered, reaching out a hand and sleepily grasping the spoon. It took a few minutes, but with some help from Glinda, the girl was finally able to eat lunch. When she finished, she got up from the table, and gathered her things. "I think I'm going to go back to the dorm and study. I'll see you all tomorrow." She went over, bought another cup of coffee, and then disappeared through the double doors.

"Poor thing looked exhausted." Milla said.

"Elphie never gets enough sleep; movies and friends or not, she never sleeps all night."

"What does she do?" Avaric asked. Glinda shrugged.

"Studies; reads. I've woken up once or twice to find her standing in the shower until she prunes and her skin's as red as a cherry. It's like she won't sleep. Or... she_ can't_."


	2. Chapter 2

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: The spell is the Gaelic version of _Ailein Duinn_.**

The words ran circles in her head, but didn't make any sense. Moments passed; moments of silence, with only the sound of the television on in the background. Still, no studying got done. Instead, she began to fall asleep, and had to pinch herself to stay awake.

"Mer... mermaids... were said to... to have... to have granted..."

"Elphie? Are you okay?" The green-skinned girl didn't look up. "Elphie? Elphie, you missed your last two classes. Elphie!"

The girl jumped awake, knocking her book off her desk.

"Sorry, Glinda, what did you say?" She asked, shaking her head.

"You missed your last two classes. Fiyero said you were sick. I'm starting to wonder if you are. Are you sure you're okay, Elphie?" Glinda asked, reaching out to feel the girl's forehead; she pulled away.

"I'm fine; just tired. I need to sleep." She shut the book and got up. She was so tired, she couldn't see straight, let alone walk a straight line. She tumbled into bed and buried her face in the pillow. Sighing, Glinda went over to her and helped her undress. Once she was tucked under the blankets, Glinda turned off the lights and the television, got ready for bed, and climbed under her own covers, whispering good night to her exhausted roommate.

Elphaba awoke in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. Going to the window, she grabbed her book and strained her eyes to read in the dark, not wanting to wake Glinda by turning on a light. Growing frustrated, she climbed off the reading nook, pulled her jacket on and slipped into her black ballet flats, and then tucking her book under her arm, she grabbed her key and slipped out of the dorm. She walked down to the lake, deciding that since she couldn't sleep, she'd be better off studying in a new enviroment, without the distractions that she normally faced.

Ducking under the branches of the oaks, she scurried down to the water's edge and sat down, opening her book. The moon shone bright overhead, lighting her text. She spent the next several minutes reading over the pages in her book; her eyes scanned the spell that was said to conjure mermaids, and after a moment, she let out a laugh.

"'A Spell to Conjure A Mermaid.'"

The words seemed so ridiculous; as if chanting some short little spell could really bring a mermaid into the person's approximate vacinity. Right. There was a _reason_ why mermaids belonged in mythology- just like the swan princess and the brownies and the winged horses that coarsed across the sky, carrying gods and demi-gods upon their backs.

They didn't exist.

* * *

><p>The spell rolled off her tongue like melting butter; the words were beautiful, but made no sense. In a language long dead, they danced from the green witch's tongue, as though written for her. After a moment, she sat back, taking it in.<p>

"Hmm, interesting."

The sudden smell of rain assaulted her nostrils, and she looked up. Big, fat drops hit her forehead, and she found herself caught in a sudden cloudburst. Instead of running for cover, she sat by the water's edge, letting herself get soaked. She relished the feel of the water on her body, drenching her hair and coating her skin. It felt good to have the scent of rain on her skin, clinging to her hair. A sudden burst of lightening struck, and she jumped, looking up. She watched, amazed, as it split the sky, before realizing that it was coming towards her.

On instinct, she ducked, covering her head with her hands. She could smell the sharp sent of heat as the bolt struck- struck what, she didn't know. She didn't dare look up, in case it had struck her. Eventually, however, she had to sit up. It was then that she realized that the lightening_ had_ struck her- the ends of her long, raven hair were singed, and smelled sweetly of smoke. But even though it'd struck her, she hadn't felt it; didn't realize it had. She'd been oblivious to it the entire time.

After several minutes, she climbed to her feet and grabbed her book, fleeing from the lake. As the rain pounded against her body, she slowly made her way back to the campus. Her feet automatically led her up the stairs of Crage, down the hall, and robotically, she slid the key into the lock and turned. Once the door was open, she slipped inside, shut the door, and went to her bed, climbing under the covers to get warm. However, she couldn't get warm, and she couldn't sleep.

Instead, she climbed out of bed and slipped into the bathroom, stripping off her clothes and turning the shower on, not caring if she woke Glinda. As the hot water rained down over her body, she took several exhausted, deep breaths, relaxing. It was two a.m.

In ten hours, her whole world would change.


	3. Chapter 3

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to UnlimitedDream90, Issa22 and EmZ711 for reviewing 2.**

"Elphie? Elphie, it's two o'clock in the morning! What are you-" Glinda stopped, stepping into the bathroom. She heard the shower running, and choked on the steam. "Elphie! Elphie! Not again!" This time, she reached up and grabbed the shower curtain, yanking it aside. "Elphie, this is the fourth time this week- Elphie?"

The green girl sat in the bath tub, her arms wrapped around her knees. She stared ahead, giving no sign that she heard Glinda at all. The blonde sighed and sank to the floor.

"Oh Elphie." She stayed silent for several minutes, before finally getting up. "Come on, let's get you out of here. You're red as pomegranate seeds and if you stay in here any longer, you'll prune." She reached over, helped the girl to her feet, and wrapped one arm around the tiny waist, helping her from the shower. She grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around her roommate's small, lithe body before leading her into the warmth of their dorm. A fire crackled in the fireplace, and she sat the green girl in front of it. "Stay here." Then, she disappeared into the bathroom and turned off the shower. When she returned to her roommate's side, she began rubbing the girl's skin in an effort to help her get warm. "Honestly Elphie, you shouldn't be taking showers at two in the morning. You should be sleeping instead- especially when you haven't been getting much sleep."

The girl didn't respond.

After a moment, Glinda got up and went to Elphaba's bed, grabbing her pajamas and a blanket. She helped the girl dressed and then wrapped the blanket around her. Elphaba didn't say a word. She stared into the fireplace, watching the flames dance and pop. Sighing, Glinda climbed to her feet and pulled her slippers on.

"Elphie, I'm going to go downstairs and get us some coffee, okay?" The girl didn't respond. Trusting that she would stay put, Glinda pressed a kiss to the girl's raven head and then slipped out of the dorm, locking the door behind her. She slipped her key into her pocket and hurried downstairs.

Crage Hall, the girls' dorm, had its own cafe on the first floor, with a lounge and small library adjacent. Crage Hall- like Briscoe, the boys' dorm- had been part of the original school. Originally, Shiz had been a girls' school, before going co-ed in the fifties. On the outskirts of the campus, were the ruins of Thropp House- nicknamed Title House, because the majority of the students that lived in it after it was first built were from entitled, weathly families, the Thropps included- the building built with donations given by Elphaba's great-great-great-great-great had listened to Elphaba tell stories about her family's legacy, and how she was expected to live up to it.

Every Thropp woman had attended Shiz, and when the school became co-ed, every man as well. Each had gone on to do something great; it was only natural that Elphaba be expected to add to that greatness. No matter how strong she portrayed herself, Elphaba was starting to crack. She had a legacy to live up to- legacy bound tightly within the walls of Shiz itself. Glinda, thankfully, didn't have a legacy to live up to- not at the very same school she was attending, anyway. She understood why Elphaba was starting to crack; no one, not even Elphaba, could survive the pressure for long- andtaking showers at two in the morning was the first sign that her roommate was succumbing to pressure.

Once Glinda slipped into the cafe, she hurried to the counter; the barista gave her a small smile.

"One double espresso and one vanilla mocha, please, Candle."

"Elphaba not sleeping again, Glinda?" The girl asked, filling the order. Glinda nodded.

"She was taking another two a.m. shower." Glinda said, tucking a curl behind her ear.

Candle shook her head. "Another one?" Glinda nodded, biting her lip. "Here. There's a blueberry muffin and a cinnamon scone for Elphaba."

"Thanks, Candle." The girl nodded and Glinda hurried from the cafe back to their dorm. She pulled her key from her pocket and slipped it into the lock before pushing it open. "Elphie?" Shutting the door behind her, she locked it and went over to the fireplace. The girl was still there, right where she'd left her.

Was she even breathing?

She sat down next to her roommate, and set the scone and coffee in front of her. "Elphie, I got you a cup of coffee and a cinnamon scone. Double espresso, just like you like." Then, she reached over and wrapped Elphie's hands around the cup. The girl didn't respond. Sighing, Glinda sat next to her friend and took a sip of her mocha. "Please say something, Elphie, you're scaring me." After a moment, she set her cup down and brought the espresso to the girl's lips, helping her drink. Quickly, she glanced at the clock on Elphaba's nightstand.

Three a.m.

"I'll put these away. We can eat them tomorrow." She gathered up the bag and placed the contents in the small fridge in the small kitchenette all the rooms had- a sink, a fridge, freezer and microwave- just enough to warm up food or keep it cold, but not enough to make a whole meal. Which was fine for the students; they prefered the cafeteria anyway. Once done, she returned to Elphaba's side and reached down, wrapping an arm around her waist and helping her up. "Come on, Elphie, time for bed. We both need to get to sleep, since we have a lot going on tomorrow."

When she'd tucked Elphaba in, she turned off the light and placed a quick kiss on the girl's forehead before climbing into bed. She hoped everything would return to normal the next morning.

What she- and Elphaba- didn't know, was that the next morning, and every day after that, was never going to be normal again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to UnlimitedDream90 for reviewing 3.**

Elphaba awoke the next morning at eleven-fifteen; Glinda was already up and gone. Slowly, she climbed out of bed and went to her desk. Glinda had left the cinnamon scone and a fresh cup of coffee for her, along with a note.

_Elphie,_

_Slipped downstairs and picked the scone up early this morning. Got the coffee while you were still sleeping before class. I'm going to let your professors know that you aren't feeling well, so don't worry about coming to class today. Stay down and try to get some sleep, you need it. I'll see you later tonight after classes get out. _

_Love, _

_Glinda_

Sighing, Elphaba set the letter down and picked up the cup. She took a sip, and then sat down at her desk, looking at her notebook. Glinda said to stay put and get some sleep. The problem was that she couldn't. She hadn't been able to get a good night's sleep for the past two months. It was driving her crazy.

After a moment, she got up and went to her bed. Setting her cup on the nightstand, she got down on her hands and knees and reached beneath the bed, pulling out a small, quoxwood box. She lifted the lid and pulled something out before setting the box aside and sitting story style. Taking a deep breath, she ran her fingers over the object.

It was a charm bracelet.

She studied each small charm, holding them against her fingers one by one. She recognized each one, and the memories associated with each. Most were memories that involved her mother; others were memories that involved her friends.

A rose, for her mother's rose garden. A book, for the nights they would spend sitting in front of the fire, reading. A mask, for the masquerade Shiz held each year. A pair of Pointe shoes, for her dance classes.

They sparked in the light of the fire, each one an individual jewel of its own precious worth. After a moment, she slipped it on her wrist and pushed the box back beneath her bed. Then, she got up and got dressed; while she very much wanted to do as Glinda instructed and stay in bed the rest of the day, she couldn't. She knew that she wouldn't sleep, and so decided to get dressed and take a walk. Slipping out of the dorm, the coffee cup in her hands, she checked to make sure she was alone before hurrying downstairs and out of Crage.

She walked through campus, breathing in the warm air. The bracelet jangled on her wrist, and she sipped her coffee, watching her classmates rush to and from class. Deciding to make herself scarce, she took the path she'd taken the night before and go sit by the lake for a while. She should have grabbed a book to keep herself occupied.

She wouldn't need it.

Once she was by the lake, she sat down on the edge and watched the swans in the water. She sipped her coffee and let her mind wander- something she never did. When she finished the cup, she set it aside and pulled the sweater she'd pulled on off, before working on her jeans. A swim would be the perfect thing to get her to relax.

She shimmied out of her jeans and folded them, placing them on her sweater, before pulling her t-shirt over her head. She folded it quickly and set it aside, before standing up and walking along the edge, checking for the best place to dive in. There was a dock around somewhere, she knew, but she wasn't sure where. Probably on the other side of the lake, and she wasn't willing to walk all the way over there in her bra and underwear.

Instead, she picked a spot that she thought would be a good place to dive in, and took a deep breath. She took a step forward, but stopped, thinking. Then, she turned and hurried up the embankment. She stopped, craning her neck to make sure she was alone. She didn't have to worry; she was the only one playing hooky.

Satisfied that she was alone, she turned back to the task at hand. She took a deep breath and released it, clenching and unclenching her fists to release excess energy. Then, she got a running start and dashed down the embankment towards the water. She leaped, and took a deep breath, diving into the water. She hit the water with the expertise of an Olympic diver, barely making a splash.

Her eyes opened once she was fully submerged, and she looked around. Reefs waved at her, and fish swam up to her before dashing away. She looked up, the swans watched her before returning to their lunch. She took a deep breath, sending bubbles floating to the surface, before moving towards the reefs. Her fingers reached out and she curled the trendils around her wrist, studying the way the water made her skin appear white.

Her feet began to twitch; a spasm from cramped muscles, and she slowly made her way towards the surface as pain wracked her abdomen. She broke the surface of the water with a cry as the pain go worse, and quickly she looked around, momentarily forgetting where she was. She treaded water for several minutes as the pain got worse, biting her lip to keep from crying out. And just as suddenly, the pain stopped. She took several deep breaths, and then looked down, just to make sure her legs weren't cramped.

Funny, for a moment, she thought she saw the flash of scales. A trick of the light, obviously. She focused her gaze on her legs, telling herself to remain still. As she studied herself, she realized that what she'd seen hadn't been a trick of the light at all.

In place of her normally long, slender legs, was a fish tail.

No, not a fish tail.

A _mermaid's_ tail.


	5. Chapter 5

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to EmZ711 for reviewing 4.**

She had to be dreaming. It was a trick of the light, it_ had_ to be.

Frantically, she swam towards the shore, telling herself that she was dreaming, that she'd fallen asleep on the edge and was dreaming. Finally, she made it to the shoreline, and started climbing onto the edge. Taking a deep breath, she glanced back. Her breath caught.

There, in place of her legs, was a tail, a thick, fish tail. Covered in black scales, the water shimmered on them in the light. After a moment, she pulled herself further up on the embankment, and sat up. The tail flopped, the fins hitting the water with a slight splash. Much like the traditional mermaids of mythology, she wore no top; instead, her long raven hair covered her small breasts. Her fin started with a light black, before going to the color of her hair by the time the color reached the tips. And unlike some mermaids, the fin was whole, not split down the middle into two seperate fins. The tail began just below her navel, dipping like a bikini, leaving her upper torso exposed, and starting from her slender hips and buttocks and going down.

Her legs were gone.

Finally able to catch her breath, she tipped her head back and stared at the sky, trying to remember how this had happened. She went back over the last couple days, trying to remember if she'd done anything that could have caused this, but her mind came up blank. She'd gotten so little sleep in the last few days that she couldn't think straight. Taking a shaky breath, she turned and pulled herself further up on the embankment. Once her tail was finally out of the water, she buried her face in her arms and told herself that she was dreaming. That any moment now, she'd wake up back in her dorm, with Glinda chatting happily about the latest fashion trends.

When that didn't work, she broke down.

She didn't know how long she lay on the embankment sobbing, her newly discovered tail flopping on the shore, but eventually, she curled up, intent of sobbing until her lungs burst.

Her long legs moved closer to her chest, pushing sand towards her as they moved. Her arms moved down and began to wrap around her legs, and she choked out a sob...

Wait a minute.

Her head snapped up, and she looked down before slowly sitting up. Her eyes widened as she stared at her legs. Her knees met her chin, and after a moment, she lifted one leg and flexed her foot, wiggling her toes. Finally back to normal, she let her eyes travel down her legs and back up her body. She was back in her bra and underwear. Taking advantage of this oppertunity- and not sure when her legs would morph back into the terrifying fin- she climbed to her feet and rushed towards her clothes.

Legs shaky, she stumbled multiple times before coming to her clothing and hurriedly pulling them on. Once she had her shirt on, she grabbed her shoes and dashed from the lake, making her way through the woods so fast that anyone would have thought Hell were nipping at her heels. She broke through the woods and returned to campus out of breath and shaking, her damp hair matted to her forehead and hanging down her back in strings.

Several other students stopped their conversations to turn and stare at the green girl. One of them was her roommate.

"Elphie?"

The girl didn't hear her; she barely heard the whispers being tossed her way. Frantic, she looked around at everyone, barely seeing Glinda, Fiyero, or the rest of their circle. Instead, she glanced behind her, as if seeing something only she could sense. Then, she stumbled forward, dropping her shoes. Fiyero hurried to help her, but she ignored him, picking up her shoes and shoving through the crowd of students that had gathered.

"Elphie?" Glinda reached out to grab her arm, but she pulled away. She glanced over her shoulder, looking through Glinda, back towards the lake.

Fiyero reached out for her, but she pushed away, parting the crowd in a frantic effort to get away. "Elphaba?" She heard no one; none of her friends, not the whisperings of the other students, nor did she catch the glances thrown her way. Just what she needed; it was bad enough that she was a legacy at Shiz- a unique legacy at that- but now, she had people commenting about her strange behavior.

Undoubtedly, they were all wondering what she was doing in the woods when she should have been in class. They all wanted to know why her hair was wet, and why her clothes were clinging to her body, accentuating the curves the other girls envied so much. They all wondered why she was acting like a frightened animal, glancing around at everyone and looking back towards the woods. They all wanted to discover why she was barefoot, carrying her shoes when she just as easily could have put them on her feet.

Was she part of a cult? A coven? Was she a killer, who took her victims to the woods and then dumped their bodies in the lake? Had she gone into the woods alone, or had someone gone with her? Was she having an affair, meeting in the woods to avoid getting caught? Was it with a married man? A professor? Her own father?

For years, rumors had swirled around the Thropp family about possible incestuous relationships. More than once, the family had been rocked by scandal and rumor. Could they possibly be true? Could Elphaba be having relations with her own father? Everyone knew the girl had her mother's beauty; but she, unlike Melena, didn't realize nor care that she was a walking sex icon. She hid her body beneath drab colors and sweatshirts. She scoffed at being called beautiful. Had her own sensual beauty finally caused her to crack?

"Elphie!"

The girl ignored all of this. Glinda and the rest of the school watched as the young woman dashed into Crage and slammed the door, rushing through the lobby and up the stairs two at a time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Once she was safe within the dorm, she threw her shoes down and locked herself in the bathroom. She stood for several moments, staring into the mirror, before breaking down and crumbling to the floor. Burying her face in her arms, she pulled her knees to her chest and let herself cry.

Meanwhile, Glinda rushed into Crage, ignoring the whispers about her roommate. She rushed upstairs and into the dorm, terror in her voice. She'd seen the fear in Elphie's eyes and was terrified that she'd do something drastic. Once inside the dorm, she shut the door and looked around. Elphie's shoes were on the floor, but Elphie was nowhere to be found.

"Elphie? Elphie? Elphie, come out! Please!"

She stopped, silent. The faint sound of crying reached her ears. Slowly, she moved further into the room, stopping again. Then, she turned. The sound was coming from the bathroom. Tiptoeing, Glinda went to the bathroom door and knocked.

"Elphie?" Silence, followed by more sobbing. "Elphie, are you okay?"

The girl didn't say anything. Biting her lip, Glinda reached down and turned the handle.

Locked.

Sighing, she pressed her forehead against the door. Counting silently to ten, she eventually backed away.

"I'll be out here, Elphie. You come out when you're ready."

Then, she settled down in front of the fire. Over the next two hours, she finished her homework and slipped down to the cafe, buying two cups of coffee. So it was when she was by the fire reading, that the lock finally clicked. She looked up, seeing the lock work, before the handle turned. Slowly, very slowly, the door opened, and Elphaba looked out, gaging the threat. When she was satisfied that there was no threat, she slipped out of the bathroom and shut the door.

"Hey. Are you all right, Elphie? You scared me." Glinda said, looking up at her roommate. The girl swallowed and sat down next to her, as she handed the girl the coffee she'd brought back up for her. Elphaba accepted it gratefully and took a sip. When she crossed her legs and set the cup in her lap, Glinda took that as the oppertunity to study her.

The long raven hair hung in slightly damp curls down her back. Her nose was red and her eyes were puffy and red from crying. She sniffled, and Glinda could see blotches on her skin. She fiddled with the lid of her cup, running her finger along the edge. After a moment, Glinda cocked her head to look into the girl's eyes.

"Are you okay, Elphie?" The girl didn't respond. "Elphie?" Suddenly, the girl's head snapped up and she stared at Glinda, eyes wide with fear. "Are you okay? You're scaring me."

Elphaba sniffled and wiped her nose on the back of her hand. Then, she took a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah, I... I'm okay, I... I'm just not feeling well." Glinda nodded, and watched the girl sip her coffee before she asked,

"Elphie, what were you doing in the woods? I told you to stay in and sleep."

Elphaba sighed, looking down at the lid of her cup.

"I... I went for a walk. I tried to sleep... and then... I took a shower and went for a walk in the woods to clear my head. I stopped at the lake and skipped stones. And then I sat on the dock and watched the water, trying to clear my head. When..." She swallowed. "When I got up to go, I slipped and fell in. I didn't realize what had happened until I was at the bottom of the lake, and by the time I'd broken the surface and climbed onto the embankment..." She looked up at Glinda. "I... I saw my life flash before my eyes. It scared me."

Glinda listened, taking it all in. It made sense, why she had acted the way she had. A near-death experience- like a near-drowning- would cause anyone to wear the same frightened look Elphie had worn as she stumbled out of the woods.

"When I caught my breath, I climbed to my feet, grabbed my shoes and ran as fast as I could back to campus. That's when everyone caught me." Elphaba muttered, sipping her coffee. "I didn't want anyone to ask about what had happened, because I didn't want them to worry, so-"

"So you rushed up here." Glinda finished. Elphaba nodded.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, Glin, I just... I was just afraid you'd think I'm a chicken."

Quickly, Glinda reached out and grabbed her roommate's hand. "I don't think you're a chicken, Elphie. You were scared. I would have been too if I'd nearly drowned in the lake. I don't blame you. I don't blame you at all. You have every right to act this way." She gave the girl a smile, which Elphaba gratefully returned. Then, she set her cup down and wrapped her roommate in a hug. "Stay put. I'll go get your hair dryer and we can finish drying your hair." She said when they broke the hug. Not wanting to fight, Elphaba let her, and then settled down and relaxed as Glinda proceeded to blowdry her hair.

Once the dark strands were bone dry, Glinda helped the girl out of her damp clothes and into her pajamas. Elphie climbed into bed and lay down, staring at the ceiling as Glinda put the blanket over her and then got into her own bed. Glinda turned off her light and settled down, turning to face her roommate.

"Goodnight, Elphie. Sweet dreams."

"You too, Glinda." Elphaba replied, watching as her roommate drifted off the sleep. When she was sound asleep, Elphaba turned back to look at the ceiling. She bit her lip.

She'd told Glinda the truth- or parts of it. She couldn't tell her the truth. Glinda would never believe it.

She didn't even believe it herself.


	7. Chapter 7

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to EmZ711, Incapability and Jamie Jazz for reviewing 6.**

She awoke the next morning to find Glinda setting a cup of coffee and a cinnamon scone on her desk.

"Glinda?" She choked, still half-asleep as she sat up. The blonde looked up.

"Morning Elphie. Do you feel better?" The girl managed a small nod. "Good." She grabbed her purse and headed towards the door before turning back. "Oh, I let our professors know about your accident, and they said that you can make up classes next week. Since it's Friday, they said you could have the day off to recoup."

"Thank you, Glinda, but you didn't need to do that-" Elphaba started, moving to the side of the bed.

"It's okay, Elphie. You nearly drowned yesterday. They understood. I'll see you later." Then, she disappeared, closing the door behind her. Once she was gone, Elphaba got up and went to her desk, picking up the cup and taking a sip. She sat at her desk for several minutes, listening to the silence and tearing off pieces of her scone. Eventually, she got up and made her way into the bathroom. Sighing, she forced herself to look in the mirror and take in her image.

Long, lush raven hair that fell in pin-straight lines down her back to just above her waist. Almond-shaped dark eyes that, in her opinion, were too close together. A long, slender nose that wrinkled when she was displeased. Lips that were neither too thick nor too thin. A chin that could cut through butter and flesh. She had a beauty mark on the right side of her nose, and another cluster of them beneath her left eye. After they first became friends, Glinda took an eyeliner pencil and connected the marks. They created "a heart" or so Glinda said. Elphaba didn't see it. She despised her looks- especially her harlequin green skin. She dreamed of having skin like Glinda's, if only for a day. She was too tall, too thin. She was ugly.

_Too_ ugly.

Suddenly, all the taunting from the kids in grade school came rushing back, and she shut her eyes, covering her ears in an effor to block them out. When that didn't work, she turned on the shower and undressed. Completely nude, she looked back at her reflection.

"I'm not sick, I'm ugly." She told herself, remembering Glinda's words from earlier. Sighing, she stepped into the shower-

And instantly doubled over as pain wracked her body. She let out a cry, looked up, searching for something to grab onto. Out of instinct, she grabbed the curtain... and brought it and the rod crashing down on top of her.

Finally able to push it off of her, she looked around, searching for something else to grab onto, when her eyes landed on the inside of the tub.

"No. No..." She choked out a sob, seeing the black-scaled fin in place of where her legs had been. She attempted to stand, and only succeeded in falling back, hitting her head on the floor, despite the bathmat that seperated her and the cold tile. "Ow." She lay there for several minutes, letting the room settle and her body to relax, before she pushed herself onto her elbows and looked up. There was no way she could stand- not without legs. And she couldn't get help, even if she wanted to. The only option was to pull her tail out of the tub and crawl into the dorm.

Groaning, she backed up, pulling her tail along with her slowly. It hit the floor with a thud, and she cringed, pain shooting up her body. She took a deep breath, and backed up, moving out of the bathroom. The tail lagged behind, immoble for the most part, and flopped back onto the ground when she flipped over to take the pressure off her elbows. Suddenly exhausted, she let out a breath, blowing her bangs away from her face momentarily.

Eventually, she heard footsteps, followed by Glinda's voice. "Elphie? Are you hungry? I brought you lunch."

She looked back at the door, heard her put the key into the lock, and then looked back at her tail, panicking. She couldn't let Glinda see her with this... this...

... tail.

"Just a minute!"

Frantic, she pulled herself onto her bed. With some major difficulty, she hoisted her tail up after her, and threw the covers over her, just as the door opened and Glinda strode in. She looked up just as Glinda kicked the door closed behind her and moved to set her things down.

"I grabbed you a sandwich and a peach. I hope that's all right, Elphie."

"... That's fine, Glinda. Thank you." She choked out, taking the food. A look of confusion crossed her roommate's face, and Elphaba bit her lip, hoping against hope that the blonde didn't ask about the tail she was now sporting. Instead, Glinda turned towards the bathroom.

"Di... did... is the shower going?" She turned and made her way into the bathroom, turning the shower off. "And what happened to the curtain?"

"I... I'm sorry, Glinda. I... I didn't want to have to tell you but..." Elphaba started.

"But what?" Glinda asked, coming back into the room.

"But I went to take a shower, and after I started it, I undressed and stepped into the tub, and..." She swallowed, putting the food on her nightstand.

"And?" Glinda asked, waiting.

"And I got dizzy. When I reached out to steady myself, I grabbed the curtain by mistake and collapsed, pulling it and the rod down with me. And then I... I crawled out of the bathroom and got into bed. I'm sorry." She finished, biting her lip.

"Don't apologize, Elphie! Are you sure you're okay? You aren't hurt? You didn't break anything?" Glinda asked, jumping to check for broken bones, concern over her roommate's well being starting to overflow.

"No!" Elphaba cried, pulling away when Glinda reached for the blanket. "I'm fine! I don't want you to worry about me. Thank you for lunch, Glinda, I appreciate it." The girl nodded, glancing at the blanket.

"Welcome, Elphie. Now, you stay in bed and rest for the rest of the day. You probably collapsed because you haven't been getting enough sleep lately. Take it easy. Okay?" Elphaba nodded. Then, Glinda leaned over and pressed a kiss to her roommate's forehead, before leaving. Once the door closed behind her, Elphaba tore the blanket away.

Her fin was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Jamie Jazz and EmZ711 for reviewing 7.**

She climbed to her feet and rushed to get dressed; her legs shook as she worked, and she had to force herself to sit down. She let out the breath she'd been holding. That had been a close call. But she couldn't let it happen again. Once she was finally dressed, she sat down and had lunch, thinking over her situation. When she finished eating, she got up and went to the dorm, slipping outside and hurrying downstairs.

"Hi Candle." The barista looked up; Elphaba stood in front of her, shaking.

"How are you doing, Elphie? Glinda said you were sick." The girl nodded, wrapping her arms around herself.

"I'm doing better. I just haven't been sleeping, so that's weakened my immune system, making me susceptible to illness." She replied, her high IQ kicking in. Candle nodded, a small smile on her face.

"Yes, well, the usual, Elphie?"

"Actually, just a cup of cider, Candle, thanks." She replied, biting her lip. The girl nodded, and filled the order as Elphaba pulled out some change.

"On the house."

"You sure?" Elphaba asked, as Candle pushed the change back into her hand and held out the cup. The barista nodded.

"Yes."

"Thanks, Candle."

"Welcome. Take it easy, okay, Elphie?" She asked, wiping the counter. The girl nodded.

"I will." She replied, taking a sip before slipping out of the cafe. Once the door closed behind her, she slipped out of Crage and made her way to the library, enjoying the slight breeze that lifted the ends of her hair. Instead of going to the library, she settled on a bench near the Suicide Canal- so aptly named for the countless suicides that had taken place within the water over the last several decades. The sun warmed her chilled skin as she sat and watched the campus, and for once, she realized that she had completely spaced on thought.

Suddenly, students swarmed the green, heading to another class, going to the cafeteria, making their way off campus or back to their dorms. She held her cup between her palms and hoped that no one would notice her.

"Elphie!" Her head snapped. Fiyero was making his way towards her. She told herself to flee, but her feet wouldn't move.

Too late.

He took a seat beside her and set his things down.

"Hey." She gave him a strained smile. "You okay? Glinda said you were sick. I'm surprised you're out and about- especially when you aren't feeling well." She choked out a scoff, and looked down at her cup.

"You said that already, Fiyero. Asking if I'm okay and saying that I'm sick are basically the same thing- the sense that they revolve around health- just in shorter phrases." She said, sipping her coffee. He nodded.

"Right. So... are you okay?" He ventured, trying to meet her eyes. After a moment, she looked up at him. Eventually, she removed her lips from her cup and lifted her head.

"Yes, Fiyero. I'm fine. Thank you for asking."

"Welcome."

They sat in silence for several minutes, Elphaba staring at the ground, Fiyero watching her. She pulled her legs up story-style and held her cup in her lap, keeping her hands tight around it to keep them warm. She didn't dare look at him; the pounding of her heart rang loud in her ears, and she blushed, hoping against hope that he thought she was suffering fever. She couldn't bear the humiliation and shame if he discovered that she had a crush on him.

Students began slipping into buildings, disappearing behind classroom doors and getting lost in the monotiny of lectures. Sighing, she turned, finding him still with her.

"Don't you have-"

"Class?" He replied, shaking his head. "No. I have my afternoons off. Mythology, business, Ozian Lit, history and regular literature in the morning, by lunch, I'm done. Why?" She shrugged.

"Just... curious." She replied, returning to her coffee. They returned to silence for several minutes, before Fiyero turned to her.

"You hungry?" She looked up at him, eyes wide.

"What?"

"Are you hungry?" She thought a minute.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Good. Come on." She followed, catching up with him as they headed towards the cafeteria. Once inside, they ordered, grabbed lunch and took a seat at a table in the back corner.

"You didn't have to pay for me. I can pay my own way." She said, accepting the steaming cup of tea he offered.

"It's no problem. Besides, this is for seeing you better." He replied, taking a sip of his coffee. She blushed.

"Thank you, Yero." He smiled at her, catching the nickname. He considered telling her about it, but decided against it. Let her have this. Right now, the poor girl didn't have much going for her but her mind. Or, at least that's what everyone else thought. He and the rest of their Charmed Circle knew better- knew Elphie better.

They ate in silence; the only ones in the cafeteria that didn't have to be in class. Eventually, he managed to coax a conversation out of her, and Elphaba found herself enjoying the topics they ran through. When they finally finished, they left the cafeteria knowing more about each other than either would have liked to admit out loud. She thanked him for lunch and then turned to hurry back to Crage when he grabbed her hand.

"Wait!" She turned; her eyes landed on the sight of their hands. For the briefest moment, she admitted to herself that they looked nice together, before she reminded herself who he was and who she was. She pulled away.

"Yes?"

He swallowed. "Would..." She waited. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

The question caught her off guard, but eventually, she nodded.

"Sure."


	9. Chapter 9

**R****ifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to lizziemagic for reviewing 1, 2, 3 and 4, Oziandra-Rainary-Tigelaar for reviewing 5, and EmZ711, Jamie Jazz, Allanna Stone, and Issa22 for reviewing 8.**

The sun shone through the trees as they walked through the forest, heading to the lake.

It was comforting, having someone that wasn't obsessed with fashion or popularity to talk to. She loved Glinda, but right now, given the choice, she'd stick with Fiyero. He was level-headed, intelligent- though he preferred people to think otherwise- and had a good heart that very few saw.

They settled near the water's edge, watching the sun dance on the glassy surface. Soon, the conversation turned from classes to politics, and Fiyero found himself impressed by her extensive knowledge of the different parties.

"You forget, Yero, that I'm the Govenor's daughter. My family is constantly in the spotlight." She said softly, looking down at the sand. Then, she pulled her legs beneath her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I know what that's like. Being constantly judged for what you do, what you say, how you act. It gets old quickly. Sometimes you just want to flee, change your name and start a new life." He said, glancing at her. She chuckled softly, nodding.

"Don't I know it. But I don't have the title of 'Prince' hanging over my head." He rolled his eyes.

"I hate being royalty. I'd rather be ordinary." She snorted.

"Ordinary. It's not all it's cracked up to be." She replied. He watched her, realizing that she wasn't entirely comfortable around him, but that she was warming up to him. He sighed, glancing around, his eyes landing on the lake.

"Do you swim?" He asked, looking back at her. She stared at him like he'd lost it.

"What?"

"Do. You. Swim?" He asked again, slower this time, as though he were talking to a child.

"Um..." She bit her tongue, thinking of her tail. "But... but we just had lunch." Okay, _he_ just had lunch. For her, it was more like an early dinner.

"So? You _do_ know that's just an old wive's tale, right?" He said, pulling his shirt off, and sending a blush the color of ripe cherries over Elphaba's cheeks. If he hadn't thought she had fever earlier, the sight of him shirtless and in front of her would certainly prove it.

"I... I don't swim." She replied, trying so hard not to look at him. She couldn't help it, and instead stole glances at him out of the corner of her eye. Oz, he was gorgeous. No wonder all the girls gushed over him. Who wouldn't?

"I find that hard to believe." He said, coming towards her. He reached down and pulled her to her feet, before getnly leading her to the water's edge. He stood with his back to the water, his hands resting loosely on her waist, as he stared into her eyes. He searched her face for a moment, before leaning towards her, to capture her lips in a gentle first kiss. But the sight of the water behind him, lapping at her toes, sent the blood rushing from her face, and she pulled away from him.

"I... I'm sorry, Yero. I... I have to go." And before he could say anything, she rushed from the lake, disappearing into the woods and heading back towards campus. He watched her, shocked, before pulling his shirt back on and following.

"Elphie!"

She rushed through campus, passing by students and leaping over benches. She heard him call out to her, but didn't stop. She only quickened her pace, eventually pulling open the door to Crage and rushing into the building. She didn't stop and sprinted up the stairs two at a time, ignoring the burning in her lungs and the pain in her side. She skidded to a stop in front of her dorm, pulled out her key and unlocked the door. She pulled it open and hurried inside, slamming the door behind her and locking it to keep him at bay. Once alone, she leaned against the door and let out the breath she'd been holding.

That had been a close call.


End file.
